Biochemical magnetic resonance imaging of knee articular cartilage: T1rho and T2 mapping as cartilage degeneration biomarkers

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a disease whose hallmark is the degeneration of articular cartilage. There is a worsening epidemic of OA in the United States today, with considerable economic costs. In order to develop more effective treatments for OA, noninvasive biomarkers that permit early diagnosis and treatment monitoring are necessary. T1rho and T2 mapping are two magnetic resonance imaging techniques that have shown great promise as noninvasive biomarkers of cartilage degeneration. Each of the two techniques is endowed with advantages and disadvantages: T1rho can discern earlier biochemical changes of OA than T2 mapping, while T2 mapping is more widely available and can be incorporated into existing imaging protocols in a more time-efficient manner than T1rho. Both techniques have been applied in numerous instances to study how cartilage is affected by OA risk factors, such as age and exercise. Additionally, both techniques have been repeatedly applied to the study of posttraumatic OA in patients with torn anterior cruciate ligaments.